Denise Arnold, Nutrition Tips

Last month I traveled to Philadelphia to the National Dietetic Convention and took part with 10,000 other dietitians in learning the latest hot topics in nutrition, which I want to share with you. But before I do, I have to tell you about the fabulous food I tasted while there, the willpower that it took for me not to overindulge, and the exercise I had to do to wear off what I did eat!

I did order a Philly cheesesteak once but can&8217;t say I&8217;d do so again. So being on the East Coast I stuck to mainly seafood dishes in order to catch the flavor of the area. My favorite place to eat was Devon&8217;s, a French restaurant in the Rittenhouse Quarter of Philadelphia. For an appetizer I had Lobster Bisque Soup (flavored with a just a hint of Cajun seasoning) followed by the main course, a seafood platter consisting of crab cakes, grilled shrimp, seared salmon and broiled scallops. Devon&8217;s is known for it&8217;s crab cakes so never having eaten crab except in the form of crab dip, which is usually imitation crab, I decided to be adventurous. It was absolutely mouthwatering!

What I loved about Philadelphia, besides the history I encountered down every street and the fabulous restaurants, was seeing all the Philadelphians out walking. Businessmen and women in fancy suits rushed about wearing tennis shoes as they went to and from work, moms pushed baby strollers on early morning walks, joggers ran through the parks, and even a man in a wheelchair was taking his dog for a walk. My hotel was eight blocks from the conference center so I walked there and back each day. Then at night I walked several blocks each way as I scouted out restaurants or toured the city on foot.

Most of my time however was spent at the conference center learning about the latest research findings in the field of nutrition and health. In the session &8220;Myths and Truths about Hydration,&8221; I learned that if you are sweating profusely you are most likely already dehydrated and that people who are heavy sweaters will need more fluids than those who are not.

During &8220;Heart Health: Nutrition and Lifestyles Trends,&8221; Dr. Annabelle Volgman of the Heart Center for Women in Chicago said more women are dying of heart disease now than men, mostly because us women have so long concentrated on other medical concerns of ours and overlooked symptoms of heart disease. Women have one in two chances of developing coronary heart disease and only one in nine of breast cancer.

Women with diabetes have a greater chance of dying from heart disease than men with diabetes. Volgman said medical professionals need to treat women with diabetes aggressively as if they already have heart disease.

In response to these finding she stated that research shows that even one meal high in saturated fat can decrease the elasticity of the blood vessels.

Melissa Ohlson, MS, RDLD, from the Preventative Cardiology Clinic in Cleveland, emphasized that for anyone to decrease heart disease risk, we need to start by decreasing saturated (solid) fats. She suggested looking for no more than 2 grams of saturated fats per serving on a food label.

Other ways to fight heart disease include; increasing omega-3 fatty acids foods like fish (consume a fatty fish twice per week).

Some other omega-3 fatty acid enriched foods now on the market are Tropicana Orange Juice, omega-3 rich eggs (when you do consume eggs), and soymilk with added omega-3 fatty acids.

She said we all need to focus more on whole grains and fiber and that cereal fiber has the greatest benefit for providing both soluble fiber (which is good for the heart) and insoluble fiber (which is good for the intestinal tract).

Research is also showing benefits of increasing protein from vegetable sources and decrease animal protein (something that us Scandinavians in Minnesota have a difficult time doing). Her recommendation is to start by having one meatless meal per week and gradually increase this to once daily.

The Alaskan Dietetic Association had dietitians in attendance at the conference, and they were handing out a cookbook they&8217;d produced called &8220;Heart Healthy Alaska Seafood.&8221; Here is an easy, quick recipe for salmon from the cookbook I thought you might like to try it. It will get you started on increasing your omega-3 fatty acids.

Parmesan Alaskan

Salmon Delight

Ingredients:

6 salmon fillets

1/2 cup low fat or fat-free Italian salad dressing

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Marinate salmon in Italian dressing 1 to 2 hours, refrigerated.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Transfer salmon to 9×13-inch baking pan slightly coated with cooking spray.

Lightly sprinkle each fillet with minced garlic and Parmesan cheese, spreading evenly over fish.

Bake until done, about 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Nutrients per serving: calories 304, protein 38 grams, and sodium 303 mg.

Denise Arnold is a registered and licensed dietitian with Albert Lea Medical Center &8212; part of Mayo Health System.